Geocache Pouch

Thank you, Stormdrane!
This guy is amazing.  He can do ANYTHING with paracord.  Seriously.
Not only are his pieces highly functional, but they're beautiful, too.
Oh, and THEN, he teaches everyone (including me) how to do it.

Yesterday, I set aside some time to rebuild a geocache that needed replacing.  The container hangs in a tree, so it needed to be resistant to the elements (rain, snow, mud... birds).  I found a small plastic Lock-n-Lock (R) container, but then needed help getting it to hang.

Enter Stormdrane's Blog.
He had just the thing... and a tutorial!
I found his post describing Cow Hitched Paracord Waterbottle Sleeve and used it and a previous post to put this together:

I am SO excited to get it into its place.  I am CERTAIN I'll get comments from geocachers on it (if they find the cache).  In fact, the only thing I'm worried about is that someone will take it because the pouch is so cool.  We'll see.

Thanks, again, Stormdrane.  I really appreciate all the work you do.

Couch to 5k

Here we go again.
I'm going to make another attempt at running (er, jogging).
I have no plans for the remainder of 2010 to participate in any running events.  I just want to continue to work on my fitness level in the hopes of shedding a few more pounds.  That, and if I want to do another triathlon next year, I need to work on my running skills.

My plan is to start the 'Couch to 5K Running Plan' this week and work up to a 5K (3.1 miles) by the time the snow falls.  I'd LOVE to be able to build up enough strength & stamina to run 5 MILES, but I'm not sure that's in the cards.

I used the C25K plan earlier this year to train for the triathlon.  It works well (tho I stopped the plan about half-way thru and just "ran" as the event got closer... maybe not such a good idea since I injured my hip during my first 5k).  This time, I'm sticking to the plan.

Will keep you updated... wish me luck!

That's some snail!

Last month, while on Cape Cod, I came across these ADORABLE snails made of metal and stone.

I wanted one... but I was NOT about to pay tourist prices to get one, especially since my husband is a blacksmith in his free time and knows how to move metal (and has a lot of it laying around the garage).

So, I asked for a lesson on how to use the forge and the basics of moving metal.  That was a couple weekends ago.  Today, I took a half-day off from work and spent the afternoon playing around, finally ending up with this...

Isn't it cute?!?

I had an idea in my mind of what I wanted it to look like.  I wasn't sure I had the skills to move the metal the way I wanted it to move.  It didn't turn out exactly the way I imagined.  But, I am SO HAPPY with the result.  I definitely want to make more!

12-of-12: August 2010

I wasn't sure what kind of shots I'd get today...
... it started out a little rainy, then got sunny.
... it's a work day.
... I didn't have anywhere particularly "fun" to go.

But, it's the 12th, so I needed to gather 12 photos for the 12-of-12.  For more info, visit Chad Darnell's page... he's the guy who started this all & who posts the links to other 12-of-12ers.

6am:
Time to sweat with Debbie Siebers.

7am:
Since I'm in the basement (with the camera), I stop at the "Wall" and snap a shot of all the yummy goodness that I've been making since June.  What's your favorite jam?  Apricot, Cherry, Cherry-Almond, Nectarine, Blueberry, Blueberry-Nectarine, or Strawberry?

8am:
Walking out the front door, camera in hand, and who is visiting my Rose of Sharon?  The hummingbird!  (see her just to the right of the highest flower?)

9am:
UGH!  I hate road work.  It happens ALL SUMMER LONG in Buffalo, NY.  Maybe it's because we have 8-months of winter!??!
I couldn't help but think of Frankenstein when I saw this cement "face".  The rain even gave if the look of hair.

work...

work... 

(nothing to see here)

work...

work...

6pm:
Home again & I have a couple new flowers in bloom this month.

Got a little "artsy" with this shot.  My dad made me this bird house years ago... but it was never occupied.  Now it sits just outside my front door.

7pm:
It was a warm & humid day today.   What better way to cool down that with some "light" reading.  I'm almost done with David Copperfield by Charles Dickens; page 814.

From where I'm sitting... the world looks like this... ahhhhhhh.

Then, I moved to another chair, to see things from another angle...

 (this squirrel had to be almost 100-feet off the ground!)

View from the porch:
The Trumpet Vine has flowered (making my front yard Hummingbird Heaven) and the new grass is growing.  It wasn't a spectacular year for my flowering plants... but with all the shade we get, I shouldn't be surprised.  Maybe next year, I'll add more hostas to the gardens; they love shade.

Hope you're having a wonderful August.   See you next month!

I Sea

A couple weeks ago I spent the weekend hunting sea-glass with the lovely Elizabeth on the south-coast of Massachusetts.  I returned with so much that I was completely overwhelmed.... and in need of a cool glass jar to house them.

Well, this weekend, I stopped at an estate sale and found the PERFECT container.  I added (most of) the sea-glass and placed it in its new home - my seascape bathroom.  It looks wonderful next to the quohog & other shells I picked up while at the beach.

Thanks, E, for a fantastic weekend!

Turn the Page... Tuesday!

I finished one book during the month of July.  I started a knitting project this month, too (see my earlier post).. for a baby shower this weekend.   YIKES!  It's not done!

This month's book (and last one of its kind for a while) is Book 9 of the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Dead and Gone.  I ripped though it, completing it in less than a week (on July 11th).  It wasn't however, because of the "gripping" content.  It was mainly because it was so darn hot, I couldn't force myself to do anything.  Seriously... vacuuming went undone, didn't walk the dogs (not that they wanted to), lawn growing without mowing.  It never gets into the 90s around here.  It didn't quite reach it this past week, but with temps in the high-80s and 90% humidity, it sure felt like it.  Reading was my only option.
So anyway... about 'Dead and Gone'.  It was okay... the books have definitely gone downhill since books 6/7.  The story has just fizzled.  No mystery, no fun love story, a few new characters/creatures but even they are lackluster. 
Book 10 just came out... it's only available in hardcover.  I'm going to wait till the paperback comes out to get it.  I'm just not that interested.
Not to give up on Charlaine, however, I got the first in another series... the Harper Connelly Mysteries... with Book 1, Grave Sight.  Haven't started this one yet. Maybe I will this month, maybe Ms. Harris will have to wait a bit.

I've also made progress on David Copperfield.  I'm about half-way through now.  My Book Club is meeting on the 18th of August so discuss it.  Not sure I'll make it all the way, but I'm giving my all and really enjoying it.  David is in a better place than he was earlier in his life (it was miserable), and some old characters are doing new things.  Fascinating!

The others mentioned last month are still "in the works" but definitely on the back burner.  I'll get to them when I can.  But for now, I need to get my hands back on my needles... I have a LOT of knitting to do before Saturday.

Thanks for visiting.  To learn more about Turn the Page... Tuesday, visit Some of a Kind.  Then play along!